John Baca Park in Huntington Beach is located across the
street from Huntington Central Park. It features open spaces
with meandering hills, a playground for kids and a
basketball court.

John Baca Park

John Baca Park was dedicated in April
2002 as fulfillment of Pacific Land
Corporation's development agreement to create park space in
Huntington Seacliff, a residential community. Those visiting
and utilizing the park include women and men with tiny tots
and people walking dogs. One mother with her 2-year-old son
said she'd driven by the park many times but had never
stopped before. She sat and read a book while he son climbed
the jungle gym.

The park can be accessed on Ellis Street between Golden
West and Gothard streets where curbside parking exists
or inside the residential neighborhood in which it sits on
Sherwood Drive that also provides curbside parking space.
Baca Park includes interesting walking trails that provide
elevation, a children's playground, basketball court and
picnic tables and benches set on cement blocks for comfort
and convenience.

John P. Baca
received the highest medal of
honor from Richard Nixon for
conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the
risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty in the
U.S. Army during the war in Viet
Nam. At the park's dedication, Baca said:

'I am an ordinary citizen who answered my country's call
to duty and performed that duty to the very best of my
ability. I pray that so naming this park will serve to
instill in the minds of generations to come the idea that
the liberty we enjoy must be ever so carefully guarded and
when they are called upon to defend those liberties, they do
so willingly, as I and so many others already have, in order
that this nation, as we know it, shall not perish.'

The City of
Huntington Beach (California) is the caretaker
and steward of the Huntington Beach public park
system. Two departments involved with Huntington
Beach parks are the Community Services
Department and Park Maintenance. Park Maintenance is
responsible for maintaining approximately
70
parks and public facilities, totaling 598 acres,
169 playground apparatus and irrigation
systems.

Park
Maintenance is also an
integral component in
special events in the City,
closely working with
Community Services to set up
for events and activities
that take place on or near
park facilities. Community Services not only
handles the rental of the
park facilities but also
operates programs for the
public that include softball
leagues, exercise classes,
cooking, dancing and other
types of interesting and fun
things to do.
For more
information on park
maintenance call (714)
536-5480. For information
on park facilities or to
make a reservation call
Community Services at (714)
536-5486 or the phone
numbers provided on the
featured parks pages.